About Latvia

There are several British Council test centres in Latvia's capital Riga. Besides the capital, there are no other IELTS test centres across the country.

IELTS data

Several universities in Latvia require IELTS as proof of English proficiency to enrol in an English-taught programme

• Lowest IELTS score required: 5.5
• Highest IELTS score required: 6.5
• Average IELTS score required: 5.7
• Number of universities accepting IELTS: 24
• Number of studies accepting IELTS: 103

Background of Latvia

For a country of just over two million inhabitants, Latvia boasts 59 public and private higher education institutions. Programs taught in foreign languages, primarily English and Russian, cover diverse fields from architecture to social sciences, with medical and aviation studies being particularly popular. While Latvian is the official state language, international students can easily navigate with English and Russian, especially in major cities like Riga.

Public universities primarily use Latvian for instruction but offer English courses for international students. Nearly 200 international study programs (Bachelor's, Master's, and PhDs) are taught entirely in English. Russian-taught courses are more common in private universities. Latvia generally has flexible language requirements for foreign students; while some institutions may request IELTS or TOEFL, many assess language skills during the interview process or through their own formal testing.

English requirements in Latvia

To study in English at one of the universities in Latvia you may need proof of English proficiency. There are several standardised English tests that you can take to prove your English level, such as the PTE (Pearson Test of English), TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), CAE (Cambridge Advanced English) and IELTS (International English Language Testing System), offered by British Council and IDP. IELTS is the most popular of these tests, with British Council offering more than 1,000 test locations and being accepted by more than 11,500 organisations worldwide.

4 most popular study destinations for students in Latvia